Earthquakes Noise

MLS PLAYOFF SAN JOSE – Rafael Marquez, the Mexican legend who earned Barcelona stripes and has residue of Cobi Jones’ skull still stuck in his forehead from the 2002 World Cup, he’s taking a corner kick. And the San Jose Earthquakes fans are shaking the bleachers in Buck Shaw stadium with buckets of jeers. No wonder soccer players are sometimes cast as actors. Marquez’s face is as firm and distant as Pluto. Fans are racing to the corner, yards away, verbal missiles landing direct hits. He floats in the perfect corner. The ball is cleared. The danger passes. The San Jose crew in Section 109, the 1906 Ultras, return to their songs, constant, strong, a lambent example of what it means to be true supporters. The maestro with the megaphone conducts the crowd as if it were the symphony, pointing at sections who are temporarily lacking in voice, gesturing them to up the breath. The songs combine adaptations from English football but with a constant river of chants and bouncing more likely seen at La Bombanera in Argentina. Even when Marquez and his New York Red Bulls score the winner in the first leg of the MLS Cup playoffs, the chanting continues, almost like a trance, as if the score matters not, as if the loss can be transcended. At the end of the match, Chris Wondolowski (above), San Jose’s Golden Boot winner, spends an extra half signing all kinds of objects thrust in his direction. A player who knows the fans are his source of inspiration. Cool gesture. Going to a football match is just plain great. San Jose has a worthy vibe. Worth a trip next season if you want to feel the passion of the American game. The Quakes head to New York on Thursday to play for the come behind win and progress to the next round.

PLAY THE WHISTLE – English club Tottenham’s goalie gave up a very strange goal indeed on Saturday. Unaware that the ref had not blown his whistle for a free kick inside his penalty box, he plonked the ball on the ground, stepped back to take the kick, only to have a Manchester United player rudely kick the ball into the net. Protests failed to move the ref. Spurs lost.